iloveyou

Pushing the pedals
With all of her might
Just a little bit faster
And she might could catch him
Air slices through her heart
Pulling her hair
Hard.
The pain makes all the details—
Acute.
The love—
Stronger.
The desperation—
Burning.
The resolve—
Solid.
The need—
Thirsty.
Breathing, sucking in the vital air
Her greedy lungs refuse to give out
Wheels turn on the broken road
Eating the miles with surprising hunger
She must get there, she must tell him
Before it’s too late, before she falls
And scrapes her knee
Lest she plunge over the handlebars
And shatter that beating heart of her’s
The street is familiar
With houses of yellow and blue
And lawns of green
She lurches to a stop
And trips up the walk to the door
She stands there, willing her heart to finish its race
‘Slow down, slow down. You’ll betray us both’
Her hand reaches for the doorbell and withdraws
Several times
Courage pulses through her like a drug
With an air of abandon, she punches that button
Victoriously
Footsteps. ‘I’ll get it’
Despite the nerves, a smile steals over her lips
The sound of that voice
Shivers. Goosebumps. Butterflies.
He swings open the door
Eyes confused, lips bemused
He leans in the door frame
No words.
‘Yes?’ Confusion and apprehension whisper in his voice
The words beg her for release
She just shrugs and becomes an expert on his front porch
He smiles and looks at her bent head
Finally, her head snaps up
‘iloveyou’
Rushed. Pushed out in a single breath.
She turns and runs as fast as she can
Bicycle wheels traded for legs of flesh
Dumbstruck. He stands, stupidly.
His mom wanders to the door
‘Who was it?’
He looks at her. His eyes light up.
He runs. He sprints. He flies after her.
There is no escape
His legs are longer. His heart, stronger.
His love, mad and frantic.
He’s on her heels now
Still she runs
He runs in front of her and stops
Tears, coursing down those flushed and oh so beautiful cheeks
‘I love you too’
Relief. Joy. Out-of-her-mind excitement
‘I have all along’

live.

and when i get into my daydream place

i can’t return whole

part of my heart is left there

in your invisible hands

you live there,

in my daydream place

i revisit the scenes and still-frames

that gather dust in my heart

every single moment

of every single day

and each day i leave hopes and dreams

in that big pile at your feet

hoping that my next offering

will bring you to life

that you can move into real life

rather than remaining

a hollow shadow that lurks

in the corners of my heart and soul at night

breathe the daylight, dearest